Education & Training

We have a range of services and resources to provide cystic fibrosis (CF) education and awareness to the community.

School Education

The CFSmart education program is an online tool with a range of educational resources about CF for teachers, parents, students and health professionals. The resources include e-learning modules for teachers, information booklets, student health plans, lesson plans and activities, school camp checklist, bookmarks, posters and educational films. We have a range of hard copy materials available in the office, or they can be downloaded from the CFSmart website.

The program was developed by Cystic Fibrosis WA in conjunction with Cystic Fibrosis Community Care (CFCC), with input from parents, teachers and health professionals around Australia.

Our Education Officer is available to provide CF education sessions to teachers, students and parents. These sessions are designed to:

Enable people with CF to integrate within the normal schooling environment and achieve educational milestones
Provide information, awareness and discussion with teachers and staff about CF
Educate classmates to promote awareness and infection control

Presentations available:

Type of Presentation	Duration	Information
Teacher Professional Development	30 – 45 min	A summary of what CF is and how it affects a student (according to age) in the school environment.
Teacher/parent case conference	60 min	The education officer can attend a case conference between the parent and teacher or deputy/principal to provide general information about CF and available resources for teachers, parents and students.
Students	45 – 60 min	A lesson tailored to the age group, involving a presentation about CF and an activity. For students in kindergarten to high school.
Other parents	30 – 45 min	Can be done at a parent information night at the beginning of the year. A brief summary of what CF is, how it affects the student, and what this means in a classroom situation.

For more information or to book an education session contact our Education Officer via email (education@cfwa.org.au) or on 08 6457 7333.

Starting School with Cystic Fibrosis

We host an annual Starting School with CF information evening for parents whose child is about to start school. It covers information about choosing a school, how to collaborate with the school, how to prepare your child for school, and tips around disclosure.

Here are some useful resources when starting School with CF:

Community Education

Our Education Officer can provide education sessions to day care centres, extended family members, work places and other community groups.

Presentations available:

Type of Presentation	Duration	Information
Day care	45 min	A summary of what CF is and how it affects a child (according to age) in the day care environment.
Family groups	60 min +	A summary of what CF is and how it affects a person who has it, plus a Q & A.
Community groups	45 min	A summary of what CF is and how it affects an individual (according to age) in the community.

To arrange an education session, contact our Education Officer via email (education@cfwa.org.au) or phone 08 6457 7333.

Health Professional Education

Our Nurse Educator can provide CF education to nurses, GPs and other health professionals, particularly targeting those in regional areas of WA.

For more information or to book an education session contact our Nurse via email (nurse@cfwa.org.au) or on 08 6457 7333.

Regional Respiratory Training Program (RRTP)

Our Regional Respiratory Training Program (RRTP) is an annual five-day program held in Perth, designed to train regional nurses and physiotherapists in CF and respiratory care. All costs are covered by the Department of Health.

For more information about health professional education, contact our Nurse via email (nurse@cfwa.org.au) or phone 08 6457 7333 for more information.

Click here to view some sessions from the 2015 program.

Information Packs and Resources

We can provide information packs to schools, families, medical centres and other community groups on request. Alternatively, all our resources can be accessed online, see Resources and Publications. To request an information pack please contact our Education Officer via email (education@cfwa.org.au) or phone 08 6457 7333.